Vending machine



Dec. 11 1923. I 1,477,238

J. BRANDT VENDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 21, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. l.

INVENTDR- 4/ Ja71w Brandt,

Dec. 11 1923.

J. BRANDT VENDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 21, 1922 s sheets-sheet N NTEI John/ Brandi,

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 (707110 ,Bramii,

J. BRANDT VENDING MACHINE Nov. 21 1922 INVENTEJR w 0 L ll Filed Patented Dec. 11 1923.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BRANDT, OF NElV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO AUTOSALES CORPORATION,

LONG ISLAND CITY, NElV YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

VENDING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN BRANDT, a c1t1 zen of the United Stateaand resident of New York, county of Bronx, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Vending Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the art of slot machines adapted to deliver a piece of goods in exchange for a previously deposited coin.

The main object of my invention is to provide certain improvements in machines of the type shown in Grover Patent No. 1,385; 822, dated July 26, 1921, which embodies a plurality of unit delivery mechanisms capable of being removed and inserted independently of each other.

It was found by experience that in the Grover machine of the patent just mentioned, where the frameworks of the individual delivery units are supported at the rear on a cross-piece fixed in the cabinet of the machine, it was necessary to adjust each delivery unit separately. This was due to the as fact that the top edge of the cross-piece, on which the rear ends of the delivery units rested, would not always be at the correct height and would naturally vary in different machines. Gn this account it was someso times found that a delivery unit whichfitted in one machine would not fit in another machine, or even in a different position in the same machine, without the necessity of raising or lowering the engaging top of the cross-piece.

Now, in the proper maintenance of these machines, it is necessary that the delivery units be absolutely interchangeable, not only within the same machine, but indiscriminately in all machines of the same type. It is the purpose of my present invention to accomplish this very desirable object by pr0- viding a new and improved supporting framework for the delivery units, so that any unit is sure to fit in any place in the same machine and in any other machine of like style. This makes it possible for an agent in charge of a number of machines to keep on hand a stock of extra delivery units, which can be used to replace any delivery unit that has been put out of commission.

A preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a vending machine containing the features of m invention. the upper portion of the outer casing being broken away; r

F ig. 2 's avertical cross-section approximately on the broken line-2,2 of Fig; 1, looking in the direction of the ,arrows;" Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of my new framework for supporting the delivery units, one of which is shown in place; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portionof my new framework;

Fig. 5 is a side view' shown in Figs. 3 and i;

F 6 is a fragmentary-view in section, approximately on line 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary viewincross-section, approximately on line 77 of Fi'g., 5; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary. view in cross-sec-. tion approximately on line 88 of Fig, 5, showing how the framework fits in between the side walls of the cabinet of the machine; Fig.9 is cross-section approximately on line 99 of Fig. 3, showing how the delivery units are supported between the flanges of the framework; and v Fig. 10 is a bottom plan view ofa portion of the framework, showing how the longitudinal strips thereof are secured at their lower edge to the cross-pieces.

The vending machine illustrated inthe drawings has an outer casing orcabinet,indicated as a whole by C, of any'suit'able maof the v framework terial and construction. Within the cabinet are mounted the usual magazines M contain ing the goods to be sold. In the present instance, there are four magazines, but the number of magazines is immaterial The upper chamber of the cabinet which contains the magazines is closed by a. front panel 1, which is readily removable and is locked in closed position. In Fig. 2, I have shown the front panel 1 provided with lu 's Zarranged to engage fixed pins 3 carried by the sides of the casing. This is a common construction and I have shown it merely by'wayj of convenience. A transverse panel 4 is rigidly mounted between the sides of the cabinet in the-lower portionthereof, as shown in Fig.2. The

space 5 between the lower edgel'ofpanel 4 andthe base of the machine COnstitutesthe delivery opening for the goods. Back of the panel 4 is fixed a transverse cross-piece position any convenient etween the back of cross- 6, which is held in way. The space 7 piece 6 thus form a closed chamber whichmaybe called the cash box of the machine, because thedeposited coins drop into that space when they are released from the coinmechanism. The d0orj11 is held in closed positi o'nby apairof side wires 13, which hook over the respective side lugs 3, as shown in Fig. 2. By simply snappingthe wires 13 out of engagement with lugs 3, the operator releases door .11 and the coins drop into the delivery openin 5, from which they are removed. It should be understood,of course, that the cash box cannot be opened as long as the front panel 1 is in position on the casing, becausethe metal plate 14 secured to the lower edge of panel 1 closes all access to the wires 18.

-As'seen in Fig. 1, the machine carries four delivery units, indicated each as a whole by D. Eachunit'is in alignment with a magazine M. These units are of substantially identical construction and it will not lie-necessary to describe them in detail, for the reason that they do not in and of them selves form part of my invention. These delivery units are practically the same in construction as the delivery units shown in the; aforeme ntioned' Grover Patent No. 1,885,822, and reference thereto may be had for the structural details of these units. It is enough to say thateach delivery unit has a top plate 15 and a plunger 16. When the units are assembled in the machine, the top plates 15 form'in effect a single plate which forms part of the outer front wall of the cabinet, as may be seen from Fig. 1. When the plunger 16 is pushed inwardly, after the deposition of a proper coin in the corresponding coin-slot 17, a piece of goods is ushed out of the bottom of the associated magazine and fallsto the mouth of delivery opening 5, as described in detail in said Grover Patent No. 1,885,822.

The delivery units D are supported in a frame-work indicated as a whole by F and best shown in Fig. '3. The framework F ispreferably constructed of sheet metal.

such as brass, and has a pair of side rails 18 and 19. For'the sake of clearness I will call the rear section of each side railan exten= sion m, which is slightly offset with respect to'the front section. This is'clear from Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 7. The side rails 18 and 19 are connected at the front by cross-bar 20 and at the rear by a channel bar 21. I might also provide an intermediate connecting bar 22. The side rails 18 and 19 have each an between the side rails by rivets25, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and'5.

The side rails 18 and 19 are formed with an offset portion 26 terminatin in a top flange 27. The purpose of the offset portion 26 is to engage a correspondingly shaped slot or groove 28 formed in the adjacent side of the cabinet, as best shown in Fig. 8. In thisway, the framework as a whole is readilyslidableintdand out of the cabinet. Between the side rails 18 and 19 of the framework are secured pairs of strips 29 substantially parallel with the side rails and properlyspaced as shown in Fig. 3. Each pair of strips 29 is rigidly secured together and is'in effect a single strip with oppositely extending flanges 30. through slots at in the channel bar 21 and provided with lugs 5 arranged to extend through slots in the rear flange of the channel bar, as shown in Fig. 6. By upsetting the lugs b in the manner of rivets, the strips 29 are rigidly secured in the framework. The strips 29 may also be rovided with-lugs 0 at their lower edges in position to pass through holes in the cross-bars 20 and 22, and adapted to be upset similar to the lugs Z). This is shown in Fig. 10.

It will be seen from Fig. 3, that the flanges 30 of strip-s29, in conjunction with the flanges 27 of the side rails 18 and 19, provide pairs of parallel flanges so spaced as to support a delivery unit D between each pair of flanges. In Fig. 8, one of the delivery units is shown in position on the framework. Fig. 9 shows how each framework is in slidable engagement with the associated pair of flanges. Each delivery unit has a bottom plate 31. formed with a groove adapted to receiveand interlock with the corresponding flange 30 of the framework. In this way the delivery. units are easily slid into position on the framework and as readily removed therefrom. The two delivery units next to the sides of the casing are supported between the flange 27 of the associated side rail and the flange 30 of rails 18 and 19 and the flanged strips 29 are of such length that. the rear sideplates 33 of each delivery UDlbI'GSlZ on or are supported by the transverse channel bar 21, asv

shown in Figs. 2 and 8. so it is clear that the delivery units are, interchangeable, not

only on'the same framework, "but on any other framework of like construction. As seen in Fig. 2, each goods magazine M is supported directly on the rear plates 38 of The strips 29 pass into the cabinet of the machine, the channel the associated delivery unit. This makes it indispensable, owing to the weightof the magazine, that the rear plates 33 are always firmly supported. as is done in my new framework.

When the framework F is slid rearwardly bar 21 rests on the top edge 3d of cross-piece 6, as shown in F 1g. 2. In order to secure the frameworkrlgidly in position, i provide the channel bar with a forwardly and downwardly extending apron 35, which has holes 86 to receive screws 37, or ther fastening devices. .When oncethe framework F is fixed in position in a cabinet, it is ready to receive interchangeably any one or more of the delivery units D, since these are supported entirely on the framework. It is in this import-ant feature that the framework of my invention differs from the framework in the Grover patent referred to. By thus eliminating the necessity of individually adjusting the delivery'imits, I secure an automatic fitting of all units when once the framework is in position in a machine.

It. is a common experience that delivery mechanisms of vending machines get out of order, either through hard usage or through unlawful attempts to work the machine without coins, so that delivery mechanisms have to be frequently repaired and replaced. Usually these repairs cannot. be made by the agentin charge of thrmachines in a certain locality, and so it has been necessary to ship the machines back to the factory. This, of course, means a'loss of revenue to the owner or operator of the machine. In the machines embodying my invention, when any particular delivery unit gets out of order, all the agent has to do is to" take it out and slip in its place a new unit, of which he always has a stock on hand. The old unit is then shipped to the. factory repair. In this way a machine can be kept in good working order all the time. 7

I may provide the machine with a guardplate to prevent attempted insertions of sharp-instruments into the thin cracks between adjacent delivery units. In Figs. 1 and. 2, I have shown a guard-plate 38, havin a hook-shaped upper edge 39 adapted to hook over the front edges of the unit delivery mechanisms. The guard-plate 38 is held in posit-ion by any suitable means. In the drawings I have shown a, plate 40 set into the front wall of panel at and secured thereto by screws 41. The guard-plate 38 is fastened to the inner plate 40 by special.

screws 42' By special screws I mean such as cannot manipulated by the ordinary screw-driver, but require a special tool which a person would not ordinarily have on hand. For instance, in Fig. 1, I have shown the screws L2 provided with heads having each a pair of holes 43 adapted to receive a pair of correspondingly arranged ranged to engage the metal plate 1% when I the panel 1 is in position.

I claim my invention:

1. In a vending machine, an outer casing, a. plurality of upright nac'aaines mounted therein,-a cross-piece in said casing below said magazines, a main frameworkmounted between the sides of said casing and having a rear extension supported on said crosspiece, said framework being provided with pairs-of flanges running sul antially parallel with the sides of the casing, a unitary framework supported between each pair of said flanges substantially in alignment with one of said magazines, each unitary frame work having a pair of rearwardly extending side-plates adapted to rest on said rear extension, whereby said unitary frameworks are directly supported entirely on said main framework side by side independently of each other, so that each unitary framework is removable from and insertible into said main framework as a single unit and is interchangeable with any other unitary frame work in the machine, and delivery mechanism carried by each unitary framework, each unitary framework and its delivery mechanism constituting-a single independent unit.

2. In a vending machine, an outer casing, ,a plurality of upright magazines mounted therein, a cross piece in said casing below said magazines, a main framework mounted between the sides of said cas ing and having a rear extension supported on said cross-piece, said frameworkbeing provided with pairs of flanges running substantially parallel with the sides of the ca ing, a unitary framework supported between each pair of said flanges substantially in alignment with one of said magazines and carrying a deliverymechanism, each unitary framework having a pair of rearwardly extending side plates adapted to rest on said rear extension, whereby said unitary having a pair of rearwardly extending side glates adapted torest on said rear exten sion, whereby said unitary frameworks are-- directly supported entirely on said main framework side by side independently of each other, a guard plate having a hookshaped upper edge adapted to hook over the front edges of said unitary frameworks, and means for securing said guard plate in position on the casing.

a. In a vending machine, an outer casing, a plurality of upright magazines mounted therein, a cross-piece. in said casin'gbelow said magazines, a main framework mounted between the sides of said casing and having a rear extension supported on said crosspiece, a plurality of unitary frameworks slidably mounted on said main framework side by side independently of each other, each unitary framework having a portion resting on said rear extension of the main framework, whereby each unitary framework is directly supported entirely on said main framework, and a delivery mechanism carriedby each unitary framework.

5. In a vending machine, an outer casing, plurality of upright magazines mounted therein, a cross-piece in said casing below said magazines, a main framework mounted between the sides of said casing and having an extension supported on said cross-piece, a plurality of unitary frameworks slidably mounted on said main framework side by side independently of each other, each unitary framework having a portion resting on said rear extension of the main framework, whereby each unitary framework is directly supported entirely on said main framework, and a guard plate secured over the front edges of said unitary frameworks.

6. In a vending machine, an outer casing, a plurality of upright magazines mounted therein, a cross-piece in said casing below said magazines, a main framework mounted between the sides of said casing. and having a rearextension supported on said crosspiece, a plurality of unitary frameworks slidaloly mounted on said main framework side by side independently of each other,

eachunitary framework having a portion resting on said rear extension of the main framework, whereby each unitary frame work is directly supported entirely on said said unitary frameworks, and meansv for securing said guard plate in position on the casing.

7. As a new article of manufacture for supporting a plurality of delivery mechanisms in vending machines, a framework made of sheet metal and comprising a pair of side rails bent outwardly to form engaging flanges, cross-pieces connecting said side rails, an extension formed on each side rail as a rearward continuation thereof, a transverse channel bar secured to the ends of said extensions, and a plurality of parallel longitudinal strips secured at their lower edge to said cross-pieces and at their rear edge to said channel bar, said strips being so constructed and arranged as to form pairs of spaced supporting flanges.

8. as a new article of manufacture for supporting a plurality of delivery mechanisms in vending machines,- a framework made of sheet metal and comprising a pair of side rails bent outwardly to form engiag ing flanges, cross-pieces connecting said side rails, an extension formed on each side rail as a rearward continuation thereof, a transverse channel bar secured to the ends of said extensions and having a downwardly projecting apron, and a plurality of parallel longitudinal strips secured at their lower edge to said cross-pieces and at their rear edge to said channel bar, said strips being so constructed and arranged as to form pairs of spaced supporting flanges.

JOHN BRANDT. 

